The recording begins with Dr. Harold T. Hagg addressing a group about his interest in Beltrami County history; his writing on the topic for a state historical society's magazine; and his interest in the lumberjack sky pilot Frank Higgins. The recording then cuts to a children's piano recital. The conversation with Harry Carlson begins at about 21:15, preceded by Dr. Vandersluis' thoughts on the importance of collecting personal histories. Harry Carlson discusses his arrival in Bemidji; his memories of early Bemidji; helping Ed Kaiser run off copies of the Bemidji Pioneer; the Mississippi Boom Company; and his dad's idea to construct the steamboat Ida. Earl Geil is also present during the interview. The interview, possibly from 1952, is continued from BCHS104b.
Wellington Schroeder discusses establishing a dam at Bemidji with the Warfield brothers; the building he built with Julius Miller; building another building and how much contractors were paid; being in a financial wreck; his first homestead; Clarence Speelman; taking a Beltrami County exhibit to the state fair; organizing the county fairgrounds; a saloon-keeper at Tenstrike who wanted to take road contracts; and getting stuck in a storm with a team of horses. The interview is continued from BCHS 105b. In the second part of the recording, Peter Rudolph Peterson tells of the life of lumberjack sky pilot Frank Higgins; how they met; Higgins' death; and Higgins' conversion of John Sornberger. The interview continues in BCHS 084b.
Archie Logan and Leonard Dickinson discuss how lumberjacks were recruited; what lumberjacks did in their free time; Sundays in the lumber camp; salesmen in the camps; Catholic sisters in the camps; lumberjack sky pilot Frank Higgins; where settlers came from; Indian agents; Redby; John G. Morrison, Jr., and his collection; Indian Paul; early Buena Vista; Dickinson's father's box company; getting cheated of payment; and eminent domain. The recording is part of a series, continued from BCHS 115a, BCHS 115b, BCHS 079a, and BHCS 079b, and continued in BCHS 116b.
Archie Logan discusses wages, room, and board as a logger; what loggers ate in lumber camps; logging accidents and health care available to injured loggers; lumberjack sky pilot Frank Higgins; what the Native Americans in the area ate; whether Native Americans got a fair deal for their lumber; how the lumber industry cruised forests for the best timber early on; traveling to Buena Vista by steamboat; stagecoaches; Freeman Doud; Tom Joy; early logging around Red Lake; steamboats used to haul timber on lakes; the volume of logs put in the river from Red Lake depending on conditions; how a sorting works operated; and deadhead logs. Leonard Dickinson is also part of the conversation. The recording is part of a series, continued from BCHS 115a and BCHS 116b, continuing in BCHS 079b, BCHS 116a, and BCHS 116b.
Edna Dunham (Mrs. Jack) Essler discusses Rev. Frank Higgins; Rev. McCloud; whether she remembered early Bemidji businesses; consolidation of Nymore; early Bemidji residents she remembered; Rev. Zoll; Rev. Blair; early Bemidji infrastructure; the first cars in Bemidji; early women's organizations; the exceptional people of Hines; boats on Lake Bemidji; her first cabin in Bemidji; and traveling up to her homestead. The recording is continued from bchs087a.
Henry Kolden discusses a man named Olson who was not a good lumberjack; what log drivers wore on their feet; how logs were marked; the route between Red Lake Agency and Fosston; the distance covered a day on a log drive; preventing logjams; who owned the timber; how they sharpened their axes; his regret in bringing his gun on his first trip to the area; lumberjack sky pilot Frank Higgins; hobos at Grand Forks; rain in 1896 washing out a log drive; selling his homestead; moving into Blackduck to start a store; and hauling supplies for the Langor schoolhouse. The recording is continued from BCHS 020a/b and BCHS 130a/b, and continues in BCHS 131a/b.
Peter R. Peterson discusses lumberjack sky pilot Frank Higgins' conversion of John Sornberger; how Higgins helped a lumberjack escape from the grips of the saloon; how he got interested in music; his first time playing in a band; playing for a municipal band in Bemidji; a man named Business Bill; the Star Theater; starting his own band in Bemidji; and helping Mr. Arnold get back on his feet. The recording is continued from bchs084a.
